How to Sound Like Johnny Marr — Gear, Settings, and Technique

Johnny Marr is one of the most influential rhythm guitarists in the history of alternative and indie music. His guitar parts with The Smiths (1982–1987) are among the most inventive, melodically rich, and layered in pop music. Morrissey may have been the face, but Marr was the sound.

His tone is characterised by jangle, sustain, and the interaction of open strings against fretted notes — a technique he developed from listening to Nile Rodgers, Keith Richards, and Joni Mitchell. It is not a heavy tone. It is not a blues tone. It is a very specific, refined, British pop-rock sound.

The Guitars

Marr used several guitars throughout The Smiths era and beyond. The most important:

Rickenbacker 330 and 360

The Rickenbacker 330 is the guitar most associated with Marr's early Smiths work. Rickenbackers have a specific tonal character: very bright, with a strong attack transient and a pronounced treble-mid chime. The single-coil pickups (Rickenbacker toaster pickups) produce a ringing, clear tone without the warmth of humbuckers.

The 330 has a semi-hollow body and the distinctive "slash" sound holes. The 360 has full body binding and slightly different electronics (stereo output option on some models).

What to buy:

• Budget: There is no genuinely good budget Rickenbacker. The Ric copies that exist (Tokai, Eastwood, etc.) capture some of the visual look but not the pickup character.
• Mid (£1,200–£1,500): Rickenbacker 330 (current production, made in California). This is what you need for this tone. There is no shortcut.
• Alternative approach: A bright Fender Stratocaster (bridge or bridge-middle pickup) with a chorus pedal gets you into the territory without the Rickenbacker's specific character

Fender Stratocaster

Marr has used Stratocasters extensively, particularly in his post-Smiths career (Electronic, Modest Mouse, The Cribs, solo work). The Stratocaster bridge or bridge-middle pickup through a chorus pedal produces a jangly, clear tone in the right neighbourhood.

He is also associated with specific vintage Strats and Telecasters — a 1954 Strat appears on Smiths recordings.

For Marr's Strat tone:

• Budget: Squier Classic Vibe 70s Stratocaster (£300) — the high-output bridge pickup in this model is closer to vintage character than the standard Player Strat
• Mid: Fender American Professional II Stratocaster (£1,400) — the treble-side voicing of the new V-Mod II pickups is right

Capo use — essential to the sound

Marr uses a capo constantly. Understanding the capo positions is more important than understanding the guitar:

• "This Charming Man": Capo 2nd fret, standard chords — the chords ring higher in pitch, adding the characteristic brightness
• "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now": Various capo positions
• "How Soon Is Now?": No capo, but unusual chord voicings with open strings

The capo allows open string voicings to be played at higher pitches, letting open strings ring sympathetically against fretted notes. This is the foundation of the Marr jangle.

The Amplifiers

Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus

The Roland JC-120 is a transistor (solid-state) amplifier, not a valve amp. This is significant because it has a completely different character from Marshall or Fender valve amplifiers: very clean, very bright, very transparent, with absolutely zero breakup at any volume. The built-in stereo chorus is legendary.

The JC-120 is used by thousands of indie and new wave guitarists because it does not colour the tone the way a valve amp does — it presents the guitar sound very clearly. It is the anti-Marshall.

Settings for Marr's tone:

• Volume: 5–7
• Treble: 8 (very bright — this is intentional)
• Bass: 4
• Middle: 5
• Presence: 7
• Chorus: Depth 5–6, Rate 5 (the built-in JC chorus is beautiful, use it)
• Bright switch: Off (the treble control handles brightness adequately)

Budget alternatives:

• Boss Katana 50 MkII (£180): The "Brown" clean channel with treble boosted. Add a separate chorus pedal.
• Fender Princeton Reverb (£800–£900): A valve amp but very clean and transparent. Add a chorus pedal.
• Roland JC-40 Jazz Chorus (£550): Smaller version of the JC-120 with the same chorus circuit. This is the budget path to the same amp.

The Chorus Pedal — Defining Effect

Marr's chorus sound is as important as the guitar. He used:

Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble

The CE-1 was the first Boss pedal (1976) and is considered one of the best chorus pedals ever made. It has two modes: chorus and vibrato, each with Rate and Depth controls. The chorus mode is extremely lush and warm — not thin or digital-sounding. Original CE-1s cost £300–£600+ used.

Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress

A flanger with chorus properties — the Electric Mistress produces a sweeping, almost phase-shifted quality that is distinct from a standard chorus. Marr used this on several Smiths tracks.

Boss CE-2W Waza Craft

The modern reissue that captures the CE-1 circuit in CE-2 form. Around £120. Very close to the original CE-1 character.

What to buy for maximum authenticity:

• Budget: TC Electronic Corona Chorus (£90) or MXR M234 Analog Chorus (£80)
• Mid: Boss CE-2W Waza Craft (£120) — very close to the CE-1 circuit
• Authentic: Boss CE-1 original (£400+) or EHX Electric Mistress (reissue, £80)

The Layering Technique

In the studio, Marr almost never played one guitar track. He would record:

1. A rhythm guitar part (chords, foundation)
2. A counter-melody guitar part (higher octave or different voicing)
3. A lead line over the top

These three elements were recorded on separate tracks and mixed together. The "complexity" of the Smiths sound is partly this layering, not a single guitar track.

Live, he approximated this by:

• Using a guitar with more sustain for the melody lines
• The JC-120's stereo width for spatial separation
• Specific capo positions that allow different register parts to be played simultaneously

For practice: Learn the chord parts of songs like "This Charming Man" first. Then learn the lead melody on top. Playing both on one guitar gives you a good approximation of the combined sound.

Technique Details

Arpeggio playing: Marr does not strum chords flat — he arpeggiated them, picking individual strings in a rhythmic pattern. Listen to "This Charming Man" or "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" — these are picked arpeggios, not strummed chords.

Right-hand dynamics: Light to medium pick attack. Not hard. The tone is in the pickup and the arpeggio pattern, not the force of the strumming.

Open string awareness: Marr positions his chord shapes to leave open strings ringing where possible. A capo at the 2nd fret means the G, B, and top E strings can ring open as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in whatever key he's playing.

Complete Budget Builds

Under £400 — Entry Level

• Guitar: Fender Player Stratocaster (£650) or Squier Classic Vibe (£300)
• Amp: Boss Katana 50 (£180) — clean setting only
• Chorus: TC Corona Chorus (£90) or MXR Analog Chorus (£80)
• Capo: Any good capo (£10)
• Focus: Arpeggio technique and capo positions

£800–£1,500 — Closer to the Sound

• Guitar: Rickenbacker 330 (£1,200) — if budget allows, nothing else sounds like this
• Amp: Roland JC-40 (£550) — smaller JC-120 with identical chorus circuit
• Chorus: Built into the JC — no additional pedal needed
• Result: This is the actual Marr setup

The Ultimate Setup

• Guitar: Rickenbacker 330 + Fender Stratocaster (for variety)
• Amp: Roland JC-120 (£800 used)
• Chorus: Boss CE-1 or CE-2W Waza Craft
• Capo: Kyser or G7th (£20–£40)
• Result: The complete picture

Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

What guitar does Johnny Marr use? Primarily a Rickenbacker 330 during The Smiths era, and various Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters in his solo and collaborative work. Capo use is as important as the guitar itself.

What amplifier does Johnny Marr use? The Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (solid-state) is his primary amp. The built-in stereo chorus is part of the sound.

What chorus pedal does Johnny Marr use? Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble and Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress are the most documented. The Boss CE-2W Waza Craft is the modern equivalent.

Why does Marr use a capo? Capo positions allow open strings to ring against fretted notes, creating the jangly, sustained quality of his chord work. "This Charming Man" uses a capo at the 2nd fret.

How do you get the Smiths guitar sound without a Rickenbacker? A Fender Stratocaster (bridge pickup or bridge-middle position) with a good chorus pedal through a clean amp approximates the brightness and jangle without the Rickenbacker's specific pickup character.